Aspects related to alimentary practices and habits of pregnant women and mothers of children less than two years of age: the program health of the family in focus

Abstract

Mothers’ nutrition has a great impact in gestation and on pregnant women health and children during lactation. The article reports atransversal study carried through from April to July 2007 with 80,76% (n = 21) of urban pregnant women and 55,53% (n = 62) of mothers assistedby the Program Health of the Family in Teixeiras-MG aiming to know aspects related to alimentary practices and habits. Data were collected bydomiciliary questionnaires during visits and analyzed by the SPSS for Windows program, version 11.5. Results show inadequate habits regarding anaverage hydric substances’ consumption below the recommendations (3,0L/day and 3,8L/day) in 90.47% of pregnant women and 100% of mothers,respectively. One observed a high daily per capita consumption of salt, sugar and oil; with averages of 7,33g, 73,25g and 33,94mL in pregnant womenand 6,51g, 63,7g and 25,59mL in mothers. This proves the necessity of developing strategies of health assistance directed to this population groupas regards nutritional care, mainly education for health with awareness of the necessity of adopting healthful habits and styles of life aiming to thepromotion of health and the prevention of aggravations and diseases.